Apples and Pomegranate Seeds Are What Your Guacamole Is Missing

Serve it with parsnip chips if you're really feeling fancy.

To be honest, guacamole has gotten a little blah — it can be more than just avocado, tomato and onion! The actor Chris O'Donnell told me mixing in a little honey is key. I like to take it to the next level by also adding apples, jewel-like pomegranate seeds, whatever you like. You want it to be fun! And gorgeous, of course.

Lulu's Chunky Guacamole

Serves 6-8

• 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 5 large ripe avocados, pitted, peeled and diced
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1/2 apple, diced
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds

1. In a small bowl, mix the onion, honey, garlic, tomato, cilantro, salt, pepper and Tabasco. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to let the flavors meld.

2. In a medium bowl, mash the avocado into the onion mixture with a fork until it reaches your desired texture. Stir in the lime juice, apple and pomegranate seeds. Serve with your choice of chips — I like parsnip crisps!

This story originally appeared in the October 2017 issue of House Beautiful.

Happy Halloweekend!

Happy Halloween! It's that time of year to let your sweet tooth run wild! I'm serving up some unconventionally delicious fall treats. Enjoy! Inside Out Caramel Apples Ingredients 3 large Granny Smith or Pink Lady apples* 1 large lemon 2 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons light corn syrup (alternatively, maple syrup) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Chocolate sauce (optional) Directions Cut your apples in half and use a melon baller to scoop out the insides, leaving the walls intact at about 1/2 to 1/4 inch thickness. Squeeze the juice from the lemon onto the apples and allow to set. This will keep them from turning brown right away. In a sauce pan over high heat, combine the brown sugar, butter, heavy cream and corn syrup. Stir until the brown sugar has dissolved. Allow to boil, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 230F, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the vanilla, stir continually until it stops bubbling. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes. Using a paper towel, wipe your apples down, removing the lemon juice as much as possible. If the inside of your apple is too wet, the caramel wont stick. Pour the caramel into the hollowed out apples until just below the top. Chill in the refrigerator until the caramel has set, about 20 minutes. Cut into slices** and drizzle with chocolate sauce if desired. LEARN MORE Pumpkin Spice Popcorn Ingredients ⅓ cup popcorn kernels 3 tbs coconut oil 3 tbs brown sugar (optional: 1 tbs brown sugar for topping) ½ tsp pumpkin spice mix salt to taste Instructions In a medium to large saucepan, place 3 tbs of coconut oil and 3 (yes 3) popcorn kernels. While the oil is heating up, measure out the 3 tbs brown sugar and place in a bowl. Once the popcorn kernels start to pop, add in the ⅓ cup of kernels and continuously move the pan over the heat. After about 1 to 2 minutes stir in the brown sugar, cover, and continue to move the saucepan over the heat until the kernels start to pop. Move the saucepan rapidly over the heat (be careful) holding onto the lid until the kernels stop popping. Place in large bowl, wait for it to cool a bit, and top with pumpkin spice, salt to taste, and extra brown sugar (optional). Stir. LEARN MORE Ginger Rum Cocktail ·     Fresh ginger ·     ¾ oz lemon juice ·     1 oz apple juice ·     1 oz simple syrup ·     1 ½ oz Depaz Amber Rhum Muddle ginger, lemon and apple. Add Rhum. Shake with ice and pour over ice into highball glass. LEARN MORE Visit me online www.lulupowers.com

Inside Out Caramel Apples

A fun twist (literally) on traditional caramel apples! So delicious, and so much easier to bite into!

Ingredients 3 large Granny Smith or Pink Lady apples* 1 large lemon 2 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons light corn syrup (alternatively, maple syrup) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Chocolate sauce (optional)

Directions Cut your apples in half and use a melon baller to scoop out the insides, leaving the walls intact at about 1/2 to 1/4 inch thickness. Squeeze the juice from the lemon onto the apples and allow to set. This will keep them from turning brown right away.

In a sauce pan over high heat, combine the brown sugar, butter, heavy cream and corn syrup. Stir until the brown sugar has dissolved. Allow to boil, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 230F, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the vanilla, stir continually until it stops bubbling. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes.

Using a paper towel, wipe your apples down, removing the lemon juice as much as possible. If the inside of your apple is too wet, the caramel wont stick. Pour the caramel into the hollowed out apples until just below the top.

Chill in the refrigerator until the caramel has set, about 20 minutes. Cut into slices** and drizzle with chocolate sauce if desired.

Storage: These don’t do well out of the refrigerator for very long. If you must keep them at room temperature, you might consider lying them on their sides, on a piece of parchment or wax paper. They will likely separate somewhat, but still taste good!

*Note: any firm, fairly dry baking apple will do. ** Note: I sprayed my knife with cooking spray (Pam) which helped with the slicing (if you don’t have cooking spray, wipe your knife with a bit of vegetable oil). Do NOT use a hot knife.

Lulu's Apple Tart

For one 8 inch crust: 1 cup all purpose flour 1 stick butter 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar 1 tsp chopped rosemary

Filling: 5 medium apples, peeled and chopped ¼ cup fresh lemon juice ½ cup apricot jam 4 tablespoons of butter (1/2 stick) 1/8 cup rum 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

To make the crust, in the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, butter, sugar and rosemary. Pulse 8 times until combined then run processor for 30 seconds, until a ball of dough forms. Press dough into the sides of an 8-inch tart pan. Prick bottom of the crust with a fork and bake 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Put all of the filling ingredients in a pan and cook on medium heat until the apples start to resemble applesauce. About 15 minutes. Put filling into your baked tart crust and bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees. It is great served with vanilla bean ice cream or cinnamon whipped cream.

Tip 1: you can slice up an extra apple to put on the top of the tart after cooking for 20 minutes. Pull it out of the oven and arrange on top. Put it back in the oven for the remaining 20 minutes. It just makes it look pretty.

Tip 2: When my husband and I were shooting this picture he wanted me to put a little glaze on top to make it look “prettier”. I took out the apricot jam from the fridge and put a spoonful in a small skillet with a spoonful of water and stirred on low until it was mixed together. I strained it through a tea strainer and then brushed it on top of the tart. It really will make your tart look beautiful.

Tip 3: Another way to keep apples from turning brown besides lemon juice is to mix them with 7up, drain and your good to go. The 7 up trick I learned from my chef friend Lisa Masuda.

Tip 4: Red and green apples sliced up look great in a bowl on a cheese board. Use tips above when you do this.

Lulu's Pesto

1 1/2 cups basil1 1/2 cups cilantro 1 1/2 cups parsley 1/2 cup almonds 3/4 cup Parmesan 4 cloves garlic 1 tsp agave 1/2 cup olive oil or more depending on the consistency you like Salt and pepper to taste

Put ingredients in food processor and pulse.

This pesto is great on just about every thing from apples to fish.